Jordan Peele Revealed the Movie That Made Him Quit Acting

We should thank The Emoji Movie for Jordan Peele’s Oscar-nominated directorial debut Get Out.

Late last month, after his incredible directorial debut, Get Out, earned four Oscar nominations, Jordan Peele suddenly announced that he had decided to quit acting. While accepting a Director's Guild Award for first-time directing over the weekend, Peele revealed the movie that is directly responsible for the director quitting the acting game. That movie is none other than The Emoji Movie. Here’s what he had to say:

"The Emoji Movie actually helped me quit acting. I was offered the role of Poop.”

He paused to assure the audience inside the Beverly Hilton ballroom, “This is true. I would not make this up.”

Peele’s response to the offer was to say “that’s fucked up” before deciding to sleep on it for a night. He called his manager the following day to ask how much he was being offered for his emoji-related services, but by then it was too late: “[My manager said], ‘They’ve already given it to Sir Patrick Stewart.’ I was like, ‘Fuck this.’”

As for Patrick Stewart, he didn't seem to mind playing the poop emoji. The Emoji Movie voice actor was pretty cheeky about the role, noting,

“It's been a lifelong preparation. I knew a time would come that all of that hard work would add up to something.”

Peele also talked about the importance of telling stories that can combat “the hate and the bigotry and all the evil policies that are being pushed into action.” Apparently, The Emoji Movie isn’t one of those stories. The Emoji Movie was one of the most widely reviled films of last year, whereas Get Out was one of the most highly praised, which is to say, it’s doubtful that Peele regrets his decision.